Perfect 10 for Stan

HORNETS new head coach John Stankevitch’s feet haven’t touched the ground since he was appointed last week. Top of his priorities has been the recruitment of players as he seeks to put together a competitive squad for next season’s Championship One campaign.

HORNETS new head coach John Stankevitch’s feet haven’t touched the ground since he was appointed last week.

Top of his priorities has been the recruitment of players as he seeks to put together a competitive squad for next season’s Championship One campaign.

And his efforts have reaped their reward with TEN new players joining the club, with more set to follow this weekend.

Returning to Spotland, having played there last season, are Liam Grundy, Steven Roper and Dayne Donoghue.

Grundy is a solid and reliable hooker who has experience at academy level for Widnes and Leigh, while Donoghue is described as the ultimate professional who leads from the front.

Roper, a half-back with plenty of Championship experience, had his spell at Hornets last season cut short by a broken ankle.

Two more experienced campaigners, Phil Wood and Jay Duffy, have also put pen to paper.

Duffy, a full-back and stand-off, recently featured for Workington Town.

Wood, another hooker, is a proven performer at Championship level. Formerly with Swinton Lions, he also captained Widnes Academy.

Another one to watch is Rob Draper, a player Stankevitch believes is massively under-rated. The back-rower has represented England at academy level and has played first team for Widnes. He is a powerful runner with a solid defence.

Joining these ‘old heads’ are several younger players who promise much for the future.

Centre Adam Bowman is a strong runner and aggressive defender, hooker Craig Tunstead has lightning pace and is dangerous from dummy-half, and Gareth Hayes is a big front-rower who will take the team forward.

And last, but by no means least, is Mark Hobson, another former Workington man. He is a highly rated back-rower/utility player who is athletic and versatile.

While it’s never easy to build a squad from scratch, Stankevitch feels the Hornets name has been a great help. He said: "I have had to hit the floor running, however Hornets are a club with a great name and history, which has made the job of recruiting new players easier."

Stankevitch and his assistant Des Drummond have also taken the unusual step of organising a trial match in Rochdale on 8 November.

The coach explained: "Trial games can be an effective means of finding new talent and also gives us the opportunity to look at players who, for one reason or another, have been overlooked.

"I will be hoping to unearth some hungry players who are looking to progress in a professional environment. It is an opportunity for players to showcase their talent against other players looking to prove themselves worthy of a squad number in the Hornets first team for 2010."

Players interested in the trial game should contact John Stankevitch at john.stankevitch@hotmail.co.uk with details of their name, age, current club, position, and a brief description of their strengths.